FPGA Implementation of Self-Testing Logic Gates, Adders and Multipliers

This study presents self-checking designs for arithmetic and logic circuits using Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) design. At present, we are implementing every circuit using VLSI technology because of its excellent features like low power, less area, wide implementation. Since finding error manually is a tedious process, self-checking method would be most wanted. Self-checking circuits are preferable to Automatic Testing Equipment (ATE) because they demand less hardware, low cost and takes very less test application time. The replica construction and pattern recognition are the two methods presented for self-checking logic gates. Self-checking single-bit full adder, 4-bit adder and 2-bit multiplier circuits are implemented and tested on EP2C20F484C7 Altera Cyclone-II FPGA device using Very High-Speed Integrated Circuits Hardware Description Language (VHDL) script. The test data input samples are applied through input switches and the Error/No Error results are obtained on the 7-segment display device. This study discuss in detail about basic self-checking methods with a experimental way. If the complexity of the circuit increases, the components used and the number of connections between the components increases. As a result, the probability of error occurrence increases for complex designs. But this error occurrence can be avoided to the maximum by using self-checking circuits at different build stages in the complex circuit model. The reliability of any system becomes very important especially in the area of applications such space technology, medical image analysis, military communications, etc.